The present invention relates generally to avoiding the flooding caused by the failure of sump-pumps and, more particularly, to a water-tight, non-mechanical, sump-pump cover back-up device that reduces or eliminates flooding caused by overflow sump-pump discharge, as well as by flooded floors adjacent to the sump-pump basin.
The background information discussed below is presented to better illustrate the novelty and usefulness of the present invention. This background information is not admitted prior art.
A sump basin is generally a holding cavity formed by digging a recess into the basement floor and is often referred to as a sump-pump basin. The sump-pump basin acts both to house the sump-pump and to collect water that could otherwise flood the basement. It is the pumping action of the sump-pump that removes any water accumulating in the sump-pump basin. Water accumulates in the sump-pump basin when, for example, excessive amounts of rain or excess ground water flow over saturates the soil adjacent to the building foundation. Water also may enter the basin via drain pipes that have been placed into the ground around the perimeter of a building to divert any excess water into the basin before it can began to permeate the foundation walls, or water may find its way into the sump-pump basin through porous or cracked basement walls. Sump-pumps are ubiquitous in areas where basement flooding is a recurring problem. When a sump-pump pumps water out of the sump-pump basin, it delivers the pumped water to an area away from the building, such as a municipal storm drain or a dry well, so that the water will no longer present a problem.
Sump-pumps are usually hardwired into a home's electrical system. However, in the event that there is an electricity outage, such as during a heavy rain storm, which may be just when a functioning sump-pump is needed the most, or if the main pump fails for any other reason, the system ideally also provides for a sump-pump backup to prevent sump basin overflow that is likely to occur if the water in the basin is not constantly pumped. The backup system may comprise a secondary battery or water powered sump-pump, for example.
In the United States, modern sump-pump components are standardized and include: a plastic or metal canister forming a liner for the sump-pump basin, which may be, for example, approximately 2 feet (0.6 m) across and 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 1 m) deep, 15 to 25 US gallons (60 to 100 L); a sump-pump, generally either ⅓ or ½ horsepower (200 or 400 W), which may be either battery or electrically powered (or both), and a set of pipes, typically 1.5 inch (38 mm) PVC, that are routed from the pump, through a check valve, and out of the house. A check valve allows water to flow up and out through the pipes, but will not allow the water in the pipes to flow back into the sump basin when the pump is turned off. Typically, currently available sump basin covers are used so that mice, cats, etc., don't fall into the sump and drown and to keep gases, such as radon, from entering the basement.
The currently available sump-pump covers, although seemingly adequate for keeping animals or people from falling into the basin and for keeping gases from entering the basement, cannot keep excess sump basin water from escaping from the sump basin and flooding the basement. Heavy rains and rapid snow melts overwhelming the sump-pumps, failure of the main pump, and/or failure of the backup pump can all result in basement flooding due to failed sump-pump action. The amount of water that enters basements from overwhelmed or failed sump-pumps can vary from less than an inch to more than several feet. The damage caused by sump basin overflow is often considerable. Commonly, insurance companies will not write policies that cover water damage from flooded basements, and when they do, the premiums are high and the coverage limited. Accordingly, what is desperately needed is a back-up device that reduces or completely eliminates basement flooding and that can provide for pumping of water out of the sump pump, as well as for accepting water that accumulates on the floor adjacent to the sump pump basin. It would be desirable to have such a back-up device that has no moving parts to lead to failure and to avoid cost of replacement at best or flooding at worst, and that requires no power, will likely last the life of a home, in addition to, keeping animals or people from falling into the basin or being exposed to electrical hazards, and reducing or eliminating the noxious gases, including radon, from entering the basement from the sump pump basin.